The Story Left Untold is Better Than You Know
by AnInsideJoke
Summary: Moments from 'Deathly Hallows: Part 1', From Ron and Hermione's Points of View. Contains spoilers. Ron x Hermione. Title from 'The Story Left Untold' by Every Avenue.  Enjoy! Rated T for possible Language.
1. Back to the Burrow

Pain.

I felt it in my legs when I hit the grass-covered ground that surrounded the burrow. I felt in my lungs when I gasped for air, trying to breathe normally when I was not in a normal state. But most of all, I felt it in my heart. That twisting pain of knowing what I had just done, of knowing that they no longer knew who I was, nor did they care. At that moment, although I was so close to the home of the biggest and most loving family I knew, I felt desperately alone.

I had done it: Erased my parents memories. I kept telling myself that it was for their own good, that it was the only way, but whenever I had the confidence to cast the spell, I would look up and see the pure fear in their eyes and I would crumble. I had squeezed my eyes shut tight, Trying to say 'obliviate' in a strong voice, but it came out as a cracked, shaky plea, a plea for this to be over. Even behind closed eyes, I could see their terrified faces. It hurt enough to see them so scared and desperate, but to know that I was the one to put them In that state killed me. I didn't want that to be their last image of me before their memory was erased.

I had run after that, knowing that I should leave before they questioned who I was. I knew that It would be confusing for them to see me, but I did not leave for that reason; I knew that hearing my parents say that they didn't know who I was, to not see that loving smile that my mom always showed just for me, to see my dad look at me with no familiarity at all, as if I was a stranger on the street, It would be too much. I would break down then and there.

So I ran. I had a moment of pride knowing that I had run_ after_ I did what needed to be done, but that pride slipped away into the sobs that wracked my body as I tried to breathe. I ran into an alley where no one would see me and become suspicious and apparated to the burrow, the only other home I knew.

The unpleasant feeling of apparating was pleasure compared to what I felt in that moment: Pain in knowing that they no longer cared about who I was, Regret in not spending enough time with them, Fear in thinking that I may never see my family again, but most of all, I felt a desperate need to be held, for someone to tell me that it would be okay while I let my emotions pour out with the tears.

The whole situation had made me dizzy as my head pounded and I fell to my knees on the grass. I cried as quietly as I could, afraid that a window in the burrow was open and that someone would hear me; I wouldn't want to trouble anyone else. I suppose I hadn't really thought this whole thing through; I was so focused on getting the spell right and staying strong that I hadn't really thought of what I would do after I charmed my parents. Looking around through the tall grass, I supposed I would just stay outside here and cry myself to sleep. After all, I wouldn't want to wake anyone up. All of the lights were off…

But the kitchen – The light was on in there. Someone was awake. I knew I shouldn't impose on the Weasleys. I knew that they must be tired enough from wedding preparations and plans to get harry to the burrow. I realized I knew a lot of things. Maybe it was time to stop being an 'insufferable know-it-all' and act on feeling, not knowledge. Feeling that desperate need for comfort, I wandered towards the kitchen.

I crept over to the window, peering through to see which Weasley was up and about. Part of me hoped it was Ron, Needing to see his face again, another part hoped it was Ginny, needing the help of a girl who understood how complex female emotions were, but I was divided into more than 2 parts: I third, greater part of me had its wish granted. There, through the window I could see the face of Molly Weasley.

Her eyes caught mine and seeing the tears that stained my face and the trembling lips that were threatening to let loose a sob, her eyes were tainted with a sad, sympathetic look, and her mouth fell just slightly. Her expression at that moment so closely resembled one of my own mother's that I wanted to fall part right then and there. Seeing that I was no threat, see motioned towards the door for me to come in.

Crossing the threshold, I collapsed into her motherly embrace. I finally cried, truly breaking down. I attempted to keep quiet so no one would wake up. It became increasingly difficult to do so as images of my parents crossed my mind. I let my sobs become muffled in her embrace. She held me tight, rocking me back and forth and whispering words of comfort even though she didn't know what she was comforting me for. After a few moments, I pulled away, not wanting to cause her any more stress, as she led me into the kitchen and pulled out a seat for me. She started making me some tea while I tried to calm my breathing and keep my emotions in check.

As the water boiled, she sat down and took my hand.

"What's happened, dear?"Her voice came softer than I had ever heard it, and hearing the concern laced in her words gave me such relief that I breathed a shaky sigh. I had been so scared knowing that my parents wouldn't care about my well-being anymore, it was nice to know that I had someone to lean on now.

"My…My parents", I started, but had to stop at the threat of my tears starting again."I had to do it, Mrs. Weasley, it was the only way that they might be safe…"

As I paused again, she took her turn speaking, angling her head at an attempt to catch my downcast gaze. "What did you have to do? Take your time." I did just that, taking a few moments until I was stable enough to tell her the whole story.

"I-I charmed them, erased their memories. They don't know who I am; they don't know who they are. As…As far as they're concerned, they're Wendell and Monica Wilkins, and they want to move to Australia. They don't have a daughter…I don't have any parents…I feel so awful. Seeing their faces when I turned my wand on them…I couldn't handle it. It's horrible, Mrs. Weasley. Having the people who I've depended on my whole life not know who I am, not care about me anymore…It's like having a part of yourself taking away…"

They rest of my speech was dissolved into sobs as I felt Mrs. Weasley wrap her arms around me again. I let her console me, then instantly felt guilty, Pulling away, I continued.

"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't me bothering you with all of this. I just couldn't stay at my home anymore…" Saying that felt odd to me; Being unable to stay at your own home, the place where you were always welcomed and love, where so many memories rested, seemed so cruel. "This was the first place I could think of to go. I really shouldn't impose on you like this, I'm so sorry."

I tried to get up, but Mrs. Weasley's grip moved from my hand to my arm, pulling my attention back to her.

"Nonsense, Hermione. I'm glad you came here; you're always welcome here. Don't apologize for being wanted. Now, about your parents… I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. It must have been torture. But please don't fret; you did the right thing. The fact that you put yourself through so much pain just to protect your parents shows how much you love them. And they love you just as much. Wendell and Monica may not know it, but Mr. and Mrs. Granger do. I know that this is hard for you, but if you need someone to talk to. I'm right here."

Her contagious smile caused the corners of my mouth to turn slightly as I hugged her once more, not for comfort this time, but to express my gratitude.

"And don't say that you don't have any parents, Hermione. I know it may seem that way for the time being, but I've always thought of you and Harry as my children. You're both so precious to me."

A quiet laugh escaped my lips. "That means so much. Thank you, Mrs. Weasley"

"For Merlin's Sake, Call me Molly!"

I nodded, trying to smile again. The memories of the event still stung, but that fact that in a sense, I still had a mother was calming. "Alright, Thank you, _Molly_."

The moment was interrupted as we heard footsteps coming down the creaky stairs.

"Oh, now I've woken someone up. I'm so sorry-" I started, but Molly cut me off

"Don't Apologize!" She reminded.

A tall boy with a mop of red haired entered the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. He was looking towards the ground, his face hidden by his bangs and his hands, but I knew who it was. He finally looked up, Squinting against the kitchen light. He looked towards Molly first.

"Hey Mo…" He trailed off and his gaze switched to me. I attempted to smile, but the expression was still foreign to my face.

"Hermione," He started, open mouthed, for a moment, as if trying to figure out if I was really there or not. Hi mouth then turned into a smile as he shuffled forward and hugged me." You're here." The way he said it made me think that he was actually trying to confirm it for himself. Molly smiled and left, knowing that I was in good hands. "How are you?"

"Uh…" I started. I honestly didn't know how to answer that question. Before talking to Molly, I would have said 'Horrible', but after I've been told that I'm considered part of the family, I can't really feel horrible can I?

"What, Hermione Granger doesn't have an answer to a question? I never thought I'd see that day", He breathed out, laughing slightly as he pulled away from the embrace. His laugh was cut short and his face fell slightly when he looked at me. He saw the tears stains, my red eyes, and my fumbling smile. He reached up and awkwardly brush his thumb over where the tears had fallen. "What happened?" He asked, not quite meeting my eyes, for his gaze was fixed on the tears that had spilled over.

Yet another emotion was mixed into the confusing jumble: Astonishment. Ron had always been the one to make me cry, to show no sensitivity at all, yet here he was, looking at me with a tenderness that I never knew existed.

He led me over to the couch of the living room, waiting for me to start. I explained the whole situation, just as I did the Molly. I thought it would be easier after all the encouragement from Molly, but going through it again and facing the reality of my situation with my parents just brought the tears be. By the end of the speech, I was crying into Ron's shoulder. He had his arms around me, saying nothing. Then, repeating his question from before "How are you?"

"Better. Your mum talked to me before, made sure I was alright. "

"Thank God she was there. I'm rubbish about making people feel better. I'm scared to say anything; I don't want to make me feel worse."

I breathed a laugh, then shook my head against his shoulder. "Thanks for being here. I think I just needed to have someone there; I didn't want to be alone."

"Well you won't be alone. I won't leave you." He started, sounding far more serious than he usually did. His statement brought me some hope in this dismal situation.

"Thanks, Ron", I said quietly, closing my eyes.

"Anytime".

I smiled slightly, remembering Molly saying that I was always welcome. I had a family here, no matter what.


	2. Not Viktor

**Thanks for reviewing the first chapter guys! I wanted to write a Molly/Hermione bonding chapter because at that moment, I really think Hermione needed some parental guidance. I've decided that In this series I'm gonna switch points of view. The first chapter was Hermione's, this one will be Ron's, and I'll probably write some third person ones. If there's a Ron/Hermione moment that you would like to see me write about, let me know! I'm always open for ideas. So Enjoy this chapter from Ron's point of View. **

**Most of these stories will be based off of stills from the movie (Hence Hermione's dress being red). **

**Check My Profile to see the picture that inspired this Chapter!**

I was so close.

I had almost got up the nerve to tell her that she looked great, but right when I turned to her Krum came up, telling her how beautiful she was. She hugged him, as if she completely forgot that I was there.

She tried to find something to say to him. Imagine that: Hermione Granger, the know-it-all who answered questions that we didn't even want the answers to, not being able to find something to say. She was never like that with Harry and I, but here she was, stumbling over her words in front of Viktor Krum. Look at her, her face is as red as her dress!

Oh, and Look at him. He's got a stupid little beard now. Why does he get to have his arms around her like that? What would she think if I just walked up and hugged her like that?

I hate the way he's looking at her, eyeing her up and down. I hate the way she's smiling at him. I hate that's he's the one making her smile.

I hate that I'm not him.

I can't compete with that! He's a Quidditch star! What girl wouldn't want to be with someone famous? He's better looking than I am. He hasn't made her cry before. He doesn't yell at her and pick fights with her. He's so much better than me.

I've been watching her this entire time, wanting to be the one who made her so nervous, that made her grin like an idiot (a bloody beautiful idiot). I wish I could tell her she was beautiful without her thinking that I have some ulterior motive.

I couldn't look at them anymore. It just reminded me of what I couldn't have. I wished I could change my feelings I wished that I didn't have to be a jealous git whenever Krum was around. But it's not that easy. When it comes to Hermione, I let my envy get the best of me. You would too if some famous guy who could easily get any girl he wants was after the girl _you _want –

"Ron?"

I glanced up to see Hermione looking at me, concern etched on her face. There was no Krum around this time."You feeling alright?"

I could only nod. It was the first time that day that I had gotten the chance to really admire her in her dress. She looked amazing; I didn't even look at Fleur with as much awe as I did Hermione. She smiled awkwardly, probably very aware that I was looking her up and down. I hated when Krum did it, but I realized it's pretty hard not to do.

"Alright, let's go grab a table then, Shall we?" I was tempted to ask why she didn't just go sit with Vicky, But the fact that we had gone this long without fighting stopped me; Why ruin that?

She didn't talk to, or even look at Viktor again that night. She sat with _me_ at the wedding, not Viktor. She laughed with _me_, Not Viktor.

And Even in the Panic of the moments, when Kingsley's Patronus came and warned us about the death eaters, I took some pride in knowing that it was my arms that Hermione ran into, Not Viktor's.


	3. In This Moment

**Hello there! Guess who finally saw DH part 1 on Saturday? I did. There's some good news and bad news for this story. Well the bad news isn't really that bad: now I realize that my last chapter may not make sense, seeing as Krum wasn't actually in the film. That chapter was based off of a still that was released, a still from a scene not kept in the movie. Sorry if there was any confusion. So instead of Ron having a little jealous moment there in the movie, we just saw him staring at a beautiful Hermione at the wedding. I won't write a chapter on that, there's not enough there to make a chapter, but I will say I loved that little moment. Anyways, the good news is that the movie gave me new inspiration to write, and I'm planning to write chapters on every moment from the movie, a few extra moments I've added, and some moments for events that happen in Part 2. Speaking of part 2, am I the only one who would have sat through 6 hours of Harry Potter just to see the whole story of the Deathly Hallows told? While this is probably my favourite movie, I hate the ending simply because now I have to wave forever to see part 2 :[**

**Oh, It would be much appreciated if you checked out my new one shot, 'I Swear This Time I Mean It'. It's about Ron and Hermione at shell cottage.**

**Anyway, this chapter is about the first little Ron/Hermione Moment shown in the movie; when she hugs him when he arrives at the burrow. I just wanted to write about their thoughts in that moment. Oh, and Rupert looked gorgeous with the Harry Potter glasses on :3 This chapter would come before 'Not Viktor', in case you're confused. **

She had never felt more relieved.

By the way he clumsily carried himself, it was obvious it was him. She looked around to see everyone that was back, just to be sure it was.

As soon as she turned back around she started running towards him. She sighed audibly as she flung her arms around him. Immediately, his arms went around her as well, his hands pressed firmly against her back. They stayed there for a few short, sweet seconds, relishing the feeling of being close to each other. Having each other like this calmed them ; it was proof that the other one was really there, safe and unharmed.

When they pulled apart, his appearance was back to normal. His messy hair had grown back to its original length and color, his blue eyes glowing as he stared at her. Though they had seen each other right before the battle, it seemed like years since she had seen those eyes. He breathed out a 'thanks' while he stared at her, relief clearly etched on his face. Tonks voice carried out, reaching their ears and interrupting them momentarily.

"He deserves that. Brilliant, he was. I wouldn't be standing here without him", she praised him as she hugged her husband, Remus Lupin.

"Really?" Hermione had asked before turning back to face him.

Shaking his head ever so slightly, a slight disappointment fell across his features. "Always the tone of surprise."

At first, her questioning of his abilities brought a pain to his chest. Even now, he was still the weak one of the group, the one that would always be doubted. He hated that she saw him like this. He hated that he was, and would probably always be, nothing compared to the great Harry Potter. He hated that he was always jealous of his best friend, how he would never be admired or looked up to like Harry was. Lost in his thoughts, he barely even noticed the world around him until he felt her hands on his face.

He stared at her as she sighed again, pulling the glasses off of his face gently. She was looking at him with a certain gleam in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. Maybe that was just because most of the time she looked at him with fire behind her gaze because he had just said or done something stupid. But not right now; she was looking at him with such tenderness that it made him look at her the same way. He wondered why she was looking at him like this, praying it was for the same reason he looked at her so gently. He wondered what she was thinking.

Truthfully, she wanted nothing more that to kiss him right now, but she resisted the temptation, this not being the time or the place to do so. So instead of placing her hands on his face and kissing him, she just grazed his cheeks as she pulled off the glasses he wore. She realized that his hand hadn't left her back. They stayed there together for a few short seconds, just enjoying the feeling of having each other close. Swift footsteps could be heard by them both, getting closer with each 'thud' of the persons foot. Reluctantly pulling his gaze away for her eyes, he looked over her shoulder to see Harry running up to them. She followed his gaze just before Harry had made impact, pulling the three of them together in a hug.

All three of them savoured this feeling, for in this moment, they were together and they were safe.


	4. Compliments

**So sorry I haven't updated in so long! My computer hasn't been working properly for about a month, so I haven't been able to work on this. But it's finally working again, so here you go! Remember, I'm mostly basing these chapters on the movie, so the dialogue that I have not written myself will most likely come from the movies instead of the books. **

**I do not own harry potter, or any of its characters. I just worship J.K. Rowling for creating it :3**

"You're Amazing, you are."

Compliments from Ron tended to be far and few, so each one he gave her made her stomach do flips, no matter how minor the praise was. She glanced up at his as the words escaped his lips.

"Always the tone of surprise", she echoed the phrase he had spoken just days earlier with a grateful smile.

_Just days. _It suddenly struck her how much had happened in the past little while.

They had been fighting death eaters in mid air only days ago.

Moody had died only days ago.

Hell, they had been at the wedding only _minutes_ ago.

Although Hermione was usually one to keep calm in situations, the dizzying realization of all that had happened struck her, overwhelming her with its presence. Her knees wobbled slightly and she became incredibly light headed, as if she were about to faint from the stress of it all. Not wanting to distract the boys from the task at hand, she kept herself busy by rummaging around in her bag for some more appropriate attire.

The trio had tried to plan what they would do ask the headed towards a small café, but it seemed more appropriate to wait until they had reached grimmauld place. Until they were secure, they had only discussed small details, like ideas for travel and what exactly they needed for the quest.

It was then at the coffee shop that Harry noticed a flaw in their plan. Heaving a sigh, he explained.

"My rucksack with all of my things, I've left it at the burrow."

Hermione shook her head, discreetly sliding her bag forward. It took the boys only seconds to catch one.

"You're joking…"

"I've had the essentials packed for days…" Hermione began to explain. Ron could only smile fondly at her. Of course she would have everything ready. Without her, Ron was sure that he and Harry wouldn't make it through a week. They would have no supplies since Hermione would be the one to remember to pack it. She would know spells for healing and protection that they didn't . She would keep them all focused.

He was so glad that she could protect herself well. He was sure that she was a better dueler than him, so if he could fend off death eaters fine, so could she…

Harry's gaze went from Hermione's face to the space in between hers and Ron's shoulders, staring at two suspicious figures. They had looked far too familiar when they entered the shop only seconds ago, and now Harry could see them reaching stealthily for their wands. Just as Ron started asking about which of his clothes she brought, He commanded them to get down.

Blinding flashes shot out from where the men were standing, curses heading for the vulnerable trio. Fortunately, they had all found cover before the curses could reach them. Only popping out from their shelters to fire offensive spells, the three fought bravely against their opposition. It wasn't long before one was on the ground, stunned. With a few final spells cast at the second death eater, Hermione finally shouted 'Petrificus Totalus", effectively freezing him as he too collapsed.

The waitress who had taken their orders a few minutes previous walked in to see what had happened. Before her mouth could even open to ask a question, Hermione had stopped her.

"Go." Her voice was authoritative and confident, and slightly menacing, as if saying no to her command would mean the death of you. "Leave!" The lady had left on weak legs, rushing away from the scene. The three proceeded to turned out the lights and close the blinds as to not raise suspicion.

Cautiously heading towards the fallen threat, eyeing them carefully in an attempt to put a name to the face one each man.

"This one's Dolohov," Ron had cut through the silence, his voice strong. "I recognize him from the papers." Though they kept an eye on the other man, Harry and Hermione too looked at the man splayed out before them.

"What should we do with you, huh?" His voice had suddenly turned from a tone of comprehension to one of mocking. He sounded so cold, so merciless, like he was willing to kill the men in a second. They way he spoke sent shivers up Hermione's spine, but not in the way his compliments did. For the first time in her life, Hermione was genuinely scared of Ron. "You'd kill us if we turned around, wouldn't you?"

Hermione tried to speak, to snap him out of this dark place he had seemed to wander into. But after his name fell from the mouth, the rest of her words died on her mouth. The pure hatred in his voice shook her, and made her feel that he could turn around and snap at her if she said the wrong thing. So only his name could be spoken, and it came out as a desperate plea.

"What if he did Mad-eye?" He had turned look at them, and Hermione now saw that it was not hatred in his eyes, it was grief. He wanted some sort of payback against these men for taking their comrade's life. He wanted a justice that could not be served. Before she could even think of something to say, Harry spoke up.

"We'll just have to warp their memories."

She froze at his words, and her gaze became fixed on the enemy before her. Sure it would be easier to cast the spell on him than it was to cast it on her parents, but she knew that as soon as someone spoke the one simple word, all the memories of that horrid event would come flooding back. She would be reminded of how her home was now empty and abandoned, that her parents were off living a different life, one without a daughter. She was sure that the vision of her face fading from the photographs would be burned into her mind as soon as she heard the charm again.

Ron took one last look at Dolohov, then he turned to Harry. "Alright, you're the boss." He looked to Hermione who seemed to be lost in thought as she looked down. She had visibly paled, and he knew that she must have been thinking of her parents. He wanted to just reach out and hold her and tell her that everything was going to be okay, but given the urgency o the situation, he chose not to. As much as it pained him to do it to her, he knew that she had to say the spell.

"Hermione", he called to her gently, but it had no affect on her. Reaching out to capture her attention, he brushed the knuckles of his finger against her cheek as softly as possible. She finally snapped out of her daze and looked at him in confusion.

"You're the best with spells." That was the only reason that he was making her do this. If he or Harry did it, they might screw it up and the death eaters would know where they were. Then they would all be in danger, and Ron would blame himself for letting her get hurt. Hermione would be able to perform the spell right. Though he felt horrible for putting her through this again, he figured that her safety was much more important right now that her happiness.

Ron's words reached her ears as she refocused on the task on hand. As it was a compliment, her stomach started to do a flip, but it lurched to a stop as it dawned on her that he was asking her to repeat the spell that had caused her so much grief such a short while ago. Meeting his eyes, she understood that he was only thinking of their safety when he requested that she cast the spell. But at she looked at him, she saw a tinge of guilt mix into his blue eyes.

Turning away as he passed her by, Hermione focused on the man in front of her. Shifting her feet slightly as the memories started flooding her head, she gently spoke.

"_Obliviate."_

And all was quiet once more. She had finished casting the spell on both mean and now just stood, trying to suppress the awful feelings that the memories brought with them. She sniffled a bit in an attempt to keep her tears at bay. In any other situation, the small sound it made would probably have been inaudible, but the silence allowed the noise to reach Ron's ears. His eyes were now flooded with guilt as hers were filled with unshed tears.

Trying to shake off what had happened, she cleared her throat. "Well, we should probably be off then…" Her voice was shaky and it became obvious to both the boys that she was trying to hold back a sob. Harry headed over to the table where her bag had been abandoned to retrieve it while Ron staying with Hermione. He shuffled closer to her and bowed his head slightly in order to make eye contact.

"I'm so sorry I made you do that, I just wanted to be sure that you would be safe and-"

"Ron, it's fine. I know you had your reasons", she cut him off as he tried to justify his already just actions. Her voice was still weak and she was trembling ever so slightly as she sifted her weight from foot to foot.

Neither really knew what to say after that. Ron couldn't come up with any words of comfort, and Hermione was trying to get her breathing back to normal instead of focusing on her talking. Needing to make her feel better, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into a brief hug, letting his chin rest on top her head. Her fingers were curled into loose fists which rested lightly on his chest. She stood there, taking deep, even breathes in order to calm herself. Harry had come back and was now stroking her arm gently, also wanted to give her some comfort. She had explained the situation with her parents to him the day after they had arrived at the burrow, though she had been much less emotional then, so Harry didn't know what an impact it had on her. Ron, of course, had been there right after it happened. He had been there to soothe her.

She soon pulled away from the two, the tracks from her spilled-over tears now dry. Saying 'thank you' to each of them (her gaze lingering longer on Ron), she gaze a grateful smile and reached for her bag. She took Ron's hand in preparation to apparated. Just before Harry's hand met hers, Ron leaned over and spoke gently, only to her.

"You were great with the spell, by the way, and the dueling. Just, truly brilliant."

She felt her stomach do a flip before it was pulled by the sensation of apparating.


	5. Impossible

Hermione Granger was not one to give up on things. She had to prove that she could do something, that even the most absurd ideas could be proven possible. She had not found a challenge she couldn't tackle. At least, not until tonight.

After struggling for what seemed like hours, she finally decided that was impossible to sleep.

They had made it safely to Grimmauld place, and aside from the scare given by Moody's trap, they were safe. Then they had gotten the Patronus from Arthur, telling them that the Weasleys were safe.

The atmosphere in the house was odd. The Gravity of the situation that they were now facing pressed down on all of them, yet the news of their loved ones' safety took some of the weight of their shoulders. The strange combination cancelled each other out in a way, but both elements were very present.

With only a few short conversations shared between the trio about their plans, the three spent most of the time trying to collect and organize their thoughts. Of course, Hermione was the only one who really cared about being organized so she was the most composed and rational. As the boys remained in their daze, she shuffled about the house, looking for blankets and pillows for everyone in case they were too cold. She attempted to clean up the bedrooms (except for Sirius' former room, which she left untouched out of respect for both him and Harry) but they were beyond repair. The dust that clouded as she shook out the bedspreads was overwhelming and it launched her into a bit of a coughing fit. She was sure that if they stayed in the bedrooms, the copious amount of dust would kill them all.

Carrying a stack of thick blankets that covered the majority of her face, Hermione crept carefully down the stairs again. She eyes watered due to the proximity of the throws that seemed to endlessly emit dust.

"There you are!"

With her vision blocked by the blankets, she had no idea that Ron was nearby. Caught of guard, she stumbled on the step she was on and fell forwards, a mix between a gasp and a shriek leaving her mouth as she slipped forward. Ron, who was at the foot of the stairs, bounded up and caught her, holding her tightly so she could lean against him as she regained her footing. She grunted as she put pressure on her ankle, which she had twisted when she slipped.

"You alright? Did you hurt yourself?" His voice held more concern than she was used to from him.

"We're in a war now, I really shouldn't complain about a twisted ankle," She replied, realizing that any small injury would be nothing compared to what lied ahead for them in the coming months. Surely, there would be more battles with death eaters, possibly with Voldemort himself. There were the dangers that went along with retrieving the horcruxes, and the unstable magic that they may have to resort to in order to destroy them.

"What are all the blankets for?" He bent down, but started coughing as soon as he got closer to the heap of comforters that now lay one the stairs. The cloud of dust that had risen when they fell had yet to settle. "Merlin, these things are deadly."

"The Rooms aren't much better. I thought it might get cold, this place is pretty drafty and the sleeping bags might not be warm enough. I figured that we should just sleep in the drawing room, it's not as bad."

"You could've asked me to help, you know."

"I didn't want to bother you-"

"You're not a bother, Hermione. You need to stop trying to do everything by yourself. You're as bad as Harry when it comes to that."

She hummed a small laugh and scooped up the blankets, trying to get to the bottom of the stairs without falling again. Before she could get to the next step, Ron stopped her, pulled the majority of the blankets out of her arms and walked down the stairs. With her vision now clear, she followed him to the drawing room. As they walked he spoke.

"There are two couches in the room-"

"Perfect! So and Harry take them, and I'll use a sleeping bag on the floor."

"Not a chance!" His voice wasn't harsh but it was commanding and unwavering. They had reached the drawing room, both of them setting down their blankets on the florr near one of the couches. Then they stopped, staring at each other, confusion dancing in Hermione's eyes.

"You're taking a couch; I'll sleep on the floor."

"Why would I-"

"Come on Hermione, You're the one who brought the sleeping bags, you packed all of our stuff, you probably now way more spells than Harry and I, spells that we'll need. You and I both know that Harry and I wouldn't last a second without you. And you've sacrificed so much for this…" He trailed off, not wanting to unnecessarily bring up the memories of her parents again. "The couch would be a lot more comfortable than the floor, and if anyone deserves that comfort, it's you."

She couldn't speak. She tried to convince herself that her lack of the ability to form a reply was due to the dust claiming her throat, that tears were threatening form because of all the grime in the air. But it wasn't that, she couldn't fool herself. Having been showered in praise from Ron unexpectedly, she had to restrain herself from kissing him right then and there (She seemed to be struggling with that a lot lately). The tenderness in his voice, the kindness in his stare…it was all too much for her to process, so she stood there, trying to get her mouth to form some sort of rebuttal. She failed though, and she probably looked like a fish out of water, gasping for air. Ron didn't judge her though, he just spoke again, making her mouth's movement cease.

"Don't even think of disagreeing, you know it's true. Take the couch, alright? I'll be fine on the floor."

"You deserve the comfort, too-"She was proud of herself for being able to from sentences again, but was cut off quickly by Ron.

"Take the couch, alright?" He repeated, his tone more forceful, yet it still held it's kindness. "It'll be comfort enough to know that you're alright."

That was it. How was she supposed to compose herself after that?

She stared at him for a second, soaking in the light in his eyes and the gentle smile that graced his lips. Before she could think, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. Mumbling a 'thank you' into his chest, she relished in the feeling for being this close to him. Being caught off guard by her actions, it took him a second to react. Regardless, he hugged her back. "Yeah, or course," He managed to get out. Blushing madly, she pulled away from him, realizing how strange her actions must have seemed. Hugs weren't a regular thing with them. They had become more often in the past few weeks, but they were mainly shared simply for comfort. Was she just going to hug him for every compliment now? Merlin, she must seem pathetic!

When she had pulled away, she noticed his ears had gone scarlet. Whether or not that was a good sign, she was unsure. After a few seconds and awkward silence, filled with attempts to steal glances at one another without the other noticing, Hermione spoke up.

"Erm, Sorry, I just-"

"No, no, don't worry…"

And the awkward silence continued.

"Uhm, we should probably go set up the couches…"

"Yeah, right…"

The two shuffled past each other to start scooting around the sofas, replaying the past moment in their heads. The feel of being in each other's arms brought them both lingering warmth. It became apparent that the extra blankets wouldn't be needed.

Now, she was lying on that couch. Although they were both convinced that the couch would help her sleep well, it didn't. Her eyes could not stay closed, her body wouldn't relax. She sighed gently, the sound echoing in the quiet. Glancing over, she saw Harry. She was level with him since he was on a couch as well, so she could see that he was obviously asleep. She realized, though, that the room was far too quiet. Ron wasn't snoring loudly as he usually did. Knowing that if she turned to look at him the creaking from the couch might disturb a sleeping companion, she simply called out to him to test his consciousness.

"Ron?"

"Hmm?" He was awake as well. He seemed surprised to realize that she was awake as well. Knowing that there would be little time for conversation just between the two of them in the coming days, she decided to ask him what she'd been so interested to know since they had agreed to go with Harry.

"Are…are you scared?"

He paused, considering his answer, but his tone was confident.

"Well given all that's happened, I have good reason to be."

"So you are then?"

"Yeah…I suppose I am."

Although she was ashamed to find happiness in his fear, she was glad that she wasn't the only one afraid. The fear was slowly gnawing away at her, making her question her safety more and more each second. After a brief pause, she continued.

"…Do you think it will end up alright?"

"I guess we can only hope, right? If we can find that bloody locket, I'll be more optimistic."

Another pause. Collecting her thoughts, she started again, her voice shaking this time.

"…This is actually happening…"

"…Are _you_ scared Hermione?"

"Yes."She didn't hesitate at all. Just like in school, when she knew an answer to a question she would tell it right away.

"Of what?"

Lifting her head up and propping it up with her hand, she leaned back on her elbow and stared at him. Her head was at his feet, his at hers, so she had a fairly good view of his face. "What do you mean, _'Of what?_ ' What if something happens to you or Harry? What if I didn't do enough to protect my parents?"

She stopped short when she saw the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. She reached am arm down and slapped his arm with the back of her hand. She let her arm hang down after as she stared at him in confusion.

"Why are you smiling? This isn't a laughing matter, Ronald!"

The sliver of light that passed into the room from the fragment of unblocked window allowed her to see that his ears were going red.

"I know, I just…It's just that you're not even the least bit scared for yourself. It's just so…_you_ to be thinking only about others."

"Well, I'm afraid for myself too, I suppose. There's so much I haven't done yet. I don't want to die without-" Ron cut her off. She couldn't help but feel a bit grateful for it, knowing that if he hadn't, she might have blurted out how she felt about him. Truthfully, her sentence might just have ended with '_without you knowing how I feel about you."_

"You're not going to die." His voice was far too confident, given the odds.

"Ron, you don't know that-"

"Yes I do. I'm not letting you die, Hermione." While his confidence was still present, his voice was trembling as he thought of her dying. After a moments' hesitation, he reached out and grabbed the hand that still hung by the floor from when she had hit him. Looking deeply into her eyes, he finished his speech. "I won't let anyone hurt you. I'll do whatever it takes to protect you."

There was such sincerity in his eyes that she was left speechless for a few minutes. Fearing his safety, she replied.

"Don't worry too much about me, Ron. Just focus on yourself and your safety."

"How can you ask me to not worry about you?"

"Well what if you're focused on me and you don't see an attack coming? I wouldn't forgive myself if you got hurt. I'd surely hate myself if I was the _reason_ you got hurt."

"I'll take care of myself. But if I do get hurt, it'll be worth it if it was done protecting you."

Since when was he so forward and honest? He had never spoken to her like this. This was the closest moment that they had ever shared. She supposed that things couldn't be left unsaid between them anymore.

"Well I'll protect you too."

"You don't have to do -"

"Don't tell me what to do. If you're worried about me, I'm allowed to be worried about you."

He sighed in defeat, and then the room went quiet once more.

"I promise, as long as I'm around, you'll be safe. I'll kill anyone who lays a finger on you."

She shivered slightly at his last statement, but was grateful none the less. His voice was thick with obvious exhaustion, and it sounded like he was holding back a yawn. The smile that graced her features became obvious in her tone of voice. "Get some sleep Ron, we've got a big day ahead of us."

"More like a big few months," he groaned in response.

With a soft laugh, she thought about what lied ahead for the three of them. Surely countless duels with death eaters and fans of Voldemort, lots of risky stunts when trying to recover horcruxes…

Her hope for their future grew dim at the thought of the horcruxes. There were four that they needed to find, and even if they did find them, they had no means of destroying them. They couldn't possibly win this war if they didn't find and obliterate them.

She took a brief glance at Ron. He had his eyes closed and his face was turned on its side. This was probably the most peaceful and at ease that they would be in the coming months. This could very well be the last time she saw Ron's face without any scars tarnishing it. Trying not to scare herself with thoughts of what might be, she focused on the fact that they were there together, safe. Realizing that their fingers were still intertwined, she squeezed his hand gently. His hand squeezed hers back, and she could see the corners of his mouth twitching up.

"'Night, Hermione", his scratchy voice mumbled.

"Goodnight Ron." She smiled at the boy before her, immensely relieved that he showed no signs of letting go of her hand.

Yes, finding the Horcruxes would be extremely difficult. Yes, finding the means with which to destroy them would be just as hard. But she realized that it wouldn't be impossible. When she was lying so peacefully with Ron's hand in hers, how could she possibly think negatively? So that night, she remained positive. She was optimistic, and she refused to give up hope on finding the horcruxes.

After all, Hermione Granger was not one to give up on things. Sometimes, she just needed Ron to remind her of that.


	6. Promises

**Hello my lovely reviewers/favoriters/story alerters ( I know those last two don't make sense, just bare with me ^^). I hope you had a good Valentine's day, and a god weekend. I've had a long weekend , which mostly consisted of playing video games and hanging out with friends, but I did have some time to brainstorm for this story. I have a few future chapters written up, but I want to publish this story in chronological order, so those will have to wait. I wrote this one before I wrote 'Impossible', which was the previous chapter, so if there are some discrepancies, I'm sorry. I want to write with new ideas much more than I want to edit this chapter. It's not a great chapter, I just loved the piano scene so much and wanted to write a chapter about it. Enjoy!**

He was never good at keeping promises.

He remembered the pinky promises he had made with Ginny when they were kids, but of course Fred and George would find a way to make him accidently break his promise.

When he started Hogwarts, He had promised his mum to write home every week.

_He wrote 7 times in his first year, most of his letters very short and starved of detail. _

He had also promised her back then that he would try his very best in school.

_He slacked off constantly. Without Hermione, he probably wouldn't have made it past 2__nd__ or 3__rd__ year. _

And back in first year, after he heard that Hermione had spent the day crying over what he said about her, he promised that he would never make her cry again.

_He ruined her night at the Yule ball because he was being a jealous git. He would never forget her broken voice and her tear-stained face._

It seemed to him that he was always letting someone down. He was ashamed of himself for the countless amount of vows he had broken, of deals he had not lived up to. Sure, everyone breaks their promises sometimes, but Ron felt immensely guilty at his lack of commitment.

He was drowning in his thoughts, numb t the world around him until his ears were greeted by the sound of music. A faint, soft melody drifted through the walls, coming from the floor below him. Naturally curious, he crept down the stairs to find the source.

Following the soft ring of the notes, he let his ears guide him through the rooms. His feet shuffled forward without his approval as he dazedly continue through the dusty halls of the old headquarters. That's when he reached it, the source of the music. He suddenly found it very hard to breathe, and he could practically feel the awe oozing out of him.

He had never seen something more beautiful.

Hermione sat at the piano, her eyes looking gently towards the keys that her fingers graced. She looked so peaceful, more at ease than he had ever seen her. He wanted to move away as to not disturb her, but he found himself frozen in wonder as he stared at the girl in front of him. As the song shifted to a higher pitch, Hermione's head had to turn to the higher keys. He had noticed him standing there, unmoving and her hands slowed while her head turned up. As her eyes met his, he could feel his ears burning and he attempt to back away but he was already leaning against a wall. He hadn't even noticed that until this moment, he had been lost in the vision before him. Clearing his throat, he attempted to start a conversation to take the focus off of himself.

"Uhhm, I didn't know you played…"

"Oh, yes. My parents had me take lessons when I was a kid. Of course, I had to stop once I started at Hogwarts. It's been way too long since I've played…" She trailed off, smiling fondly at the memories of her childhood. Ron wondered what it would be like to be raised as a muggle. Both Harry and Hermione were, and he felt oddly misplaced in that moment. As Hermione smiled, he couldn't help but notice the tinge of sadness that reached her eyes, thoughts of her parents' new life obviously flooding her mind. He shuffled forward, not caring to do so quietly as he thought being loud might snap her out of her thoughts. It did so, and after shaking her head slightly her gaze met his again.

"Have you ever played?"

"Nah, I wouldn't have been able to stick with it if I tried to learn. I'd probably sound like rubbish anyway."

"Oh Nonsense. Come here, I'll show you."

She shuffled over on the bench making room for him. He swallowed the nervous lump forming in his throat. There was something bubbling inside him at the idea of being so close to her, and the fact that she wouldn't mind him being there. She smiled at him gently, as if trying to say that she wouldn't bite. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards as he slid onto the bench with here. He felt his foot graze hers, which rested on a pedal beneath them, and he was already turning red. There was an odd pang in his chest that he felt whenever they made contact. When he was very young and very naïve, he thought that feeling was because he was allergic to her or something. But by fourth year, he knew that he couldn't have been more wrong. Hermione was just the opposite of that. Basically, when you have an allergy, you can't properly live with something. But he knew that Hermione was something he couldn't live without.

"Oh, what was the first song I learned…" She had mumbled to herself, her brow furrowing as she tried to recall memories of her life before Hogwarts. With a sudden light in her eyes, she reached over to the keys in front of Ron. He focused on the movement of her fingers as she played slowly so he could repeat what she did. It was amazing how graceful it sounded, even when she had to play it choppily in order to teach him.

As her playing stopped, he reached out to mirror her movements. He got the rhythm about right, but the notes gave an awful clinking sound as he played, and a lot of the notes sounded off. He inwardly cringed at the sound of his playing, and his ears burned once more. But over his noisy first attempt, he could hear something that sounded even better than Hermione's playing.

Her laughter.

Normally, he would be annoyed that she was laughing at him, and he would feel awfully unworthy of her. But after seeing her grieving so much in the past few days over having no 9biological0 family, he rejoiced at the sight of seeing her smile. Her laugh made something well up inside him, a feeling of immense joy, and pride as he knew that he had brought her that feeling as well.

"Be a bit gentler", he voice instructed, soft and calm, with remnants of her laugh still lingering at the beginning of her sentence.

He reached the keys again and clumsily started playing, not sounding much better than he did before. After only a few notes, her hand had grab his, holding it gently as she could as she tugged it away from the piano. Her other hand reached out and demonstrated again, playing softly. Ron knew he should be paying attention to her playing, but all he could do was stare at her face. She was smiling gently, and she looked so peaceful. And, Oh Merlin, she was so close to him. He could just lean over and kiss her if he wanted to.

And he _really_ wanted to.

But he couldn't. There was a war beginning, and the last thing on his mind should be romance.

Then again, he couldn't really feel guilty about wanting to kiss her when she was _right there_, looking as beautiful as ever.

It took everything he had not to just lean over and snog her senseless. Basically, all he could do was stare in wonder and pray that he would be around when the war was over so he could finally get to that snogging.

He was suddenly very aware that it was entirely possible that the trio could die tomorrow. They were in constant danger, battling against duelers much more skilled and experienced than they were. He wasn't really afraid for himself, sure he didn't want to die, but he would be fine with dying if it meant his friends were at all safer.

No, he was really scared for her. He knew she was strong and she could defend herself. But what if something happened despite of that? What if she got hurt and her couldn't do anything about it? What if she didn't make it? He was sure that he would die too if her lost her.

He was glad that she was so focused on the piano, because he knew that with one glance, she could read him like the books she loved so much and know exactly what he was thinkning about, what he was feeling.

He reflected on his promises once more.

Writing to Mum everyday wasn't an option, for her safety and for theirs.

Doing well in school didn't matter, seeing as he wasn't returning.

Not Making Hermione Cry…

He thought of her laugh, the heavenly sound he had heard just moments ago. If he loved that sound so much, why was it that he heard the awful noise of her sobs more often that he did her laugh? Why was it that he made her cry much more that he made her laugh? He was ashamed that she had been sad so many times because of him.

With a newfound determination, he made new promises, promises that were so meaningful to him that he couldn't possibly break them.

He promised to protect her, whether it be from the death eaters or simply from the cold in the winter.

He promised that he would make her laugh. He wouldn't make her cry again.

She had finished playing and looked up at him expectantly. With one look into her chocolate eyes, he felt an odd pang in his chest, a flutter in his stomach. Her eyes were sparkling, the little flecks of amber glistening in the dim light of the room. Her lips were turned into a gentle, encouraging smile. Her hair, which had become less bushy over the years so it actually shone now, was pulled up in a ponytail so her could see all of her face.

If someone had told him when he was 11 that he was going to fall completely in love with Hermione Granger, he would have said they were barking. But now…now in was just undeniable.

He had known that he didn't just think of her like a sister in fourth year. He had realized it was a crush in fifth year (he assumed that the crush started earlier, though, he just hadn't realized it). He had known that it was more than just a little crush, which it wasn't going away, by sixth year. But it was in that moment, that instant where their eyes met as they sat together by the piano, that he came to terms with the fact that he was _completely_ in love with her. She was the 'one'; there wasn't anyone else he would want to be with.

She would know that, that she was the one for him. In that instant, that little glimpse of her he saw before he had to turn back to the keys, he made up his mind. Putting his Gryffindor Courage to good use, he promised himself that as soon as the war was over, she would know exactly how he felt about her.


End file.
